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Diesels on PDQ's use sail drives?
Posted: Mon Apr 20, 2015 2:35 pm
by Pete Weis
If so, any maintenance issues? You have to pull the boat out of the water to replaces seals and do repairs? Do earlier PDQ 32's and 36's use shafts?
Noticed a cutaway of a 36, which showed sail drives.
Re: Diesels on PDQ's use sail drives?
Posted: Tue Apr 21, 2015 6:43 am
by SecondWind
36's all use saildrives. I can't speak to the 32's (I believe they use shafts). In our 8 years of ownership we bottom painted every two years. At that time we changed the oil in the drives, fitted new zincs, replaced one propeller and painted with anti-fouling paint. We had water in one drive when we bought the boat and had all of the seals replaced at that time. It was never an issue again. At some point in time the main seal between the boat and the drive will need to be replaced, but we had not seen any deterioration. Access to the engines is good on the port side, but can be improved on the starboard side by fitting and enlarged hatch in the shower.
Re: Diesels on PDQ's use sail drives?
Posted: Tue Apr 21, 2015 10:36 am
by Pete Weis
SecondWind wrote:36's all use saildrives. I can't speak to the 32's (I believe they use shafts). In our 8 years of ownership we bottom painted every two years. At that time we changed the oil in the drives, fitted new zincs, replaced one propeller and painted with anti-fouling paint. We had water in one drive when we bought the boat and had all of the seals replaced at that time. It was never an issue again. At some point in time the main seal between the boat and the drive will need to be replaced, but we had not seen any deterioration. Access to the engines is good on the port side, but can be improved on the starboard side by fitting and enlarged hatch in the shower.
Thanks Terry. Sounds like the drives have few problems if well maintained. Since a boat would be hauled on inspection and purchase, sounds like that is the time to take care of this. And then each time the boat is hauled to redo the bottom. I had read on sailnet about a lot of problems with sail drives, but as it is with many things for boats, it's about neglect.
Sounds like the reason for sail drives on 36's might have to do with the further aft location of the engines due to the aft location of the head. The engines on the 32's are located further forward due to the head being forward?